Happily Ever After?
by AJtheWeird
Summary: <html><head></head>People say that Ariel belongs with only Eric. But according to Hans Christian Anderson, the mermaid and prince dont end up together. This is for anyone who has had their heart broken by a prince. Someday your sailor will come. Jim/Ariel</html>
1. Prologue

**!BEFORE YOU READ!**

- Ursula is NOT evil  
>- Ariel gave up her voice for a pair of legs; there was NO "3 days-kiss of true love or else" thing<br>- The Binbow Inn is on Earth, in Denmark (NOT on Montressor)  
>- Ursula and Vanessa are 2 different people. Vanessa has a beautiful voice (not as beautiful as Ariel's)<br>- This is Jim/Ariel. If you don't like it, don't read it.

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><p><strong>PROLOGUE<strong>

Prince Eric stood out in the courtyard and played his flute like he did every night. Well…every night since his mystery girl rescued him. Her beautiful voice still haunted his mind. He poured out his feelings for her into the song he played. _I know she's real. I've looked every where, but where could she possibly be?_

Grimsby, Eric's manservant, stepped out into the chilly night air and approached the contemplating Prince. "Eric," he started, "if I may say, far better than any dream girl, is one of flesh and blood, warm and caring, and right before your eyes." When he said that, he gestured to the window up above where the Prince's ward, Miss Ariel, stayed.

Eric stared up at the window at the strange redhead. As he watched her brush her hair, he couldn't help but think about how cute she was…about how she combs her hair with a fork…about the great day that they had together. With her, everything was new and exciting. She was unlike any girl he had ever met.

He sighed. _Grim is right. A real girl is better than any fantasy._ And so, Eric grasped his flute, and tossed the metallic instrument into the crashing waves below.

As he started to walk out of the courtyard, something stopped him. Something tickled his ear. _Singing?_ He turned. _Yes. That is singing! Where's it coming from?_

Eric walked away from the palace, to the farthest part of the courtyard and looked over the railing.

There was a figure. Someone was out on the beach. _Who would be out at this time?_ As the figure made its' way through the fog, the singing got stronger.

As Eric looked closer, he saw that the figure was a beautiful girl. Her raven hair flowed on the wind that carried her beautiful voice. His eyes widened in surprise as he whispered, "It's her…"

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><p><strong>AN **Like I said earlier, **1) **Ursula is NOT evil** 2) **Ariel gave up her voice for legs. There is no "get a kiss before the sun sets on the 3rd day" thing** 3) **The Binbow Inn is in Denmark (Eric's Kingdom)** 4)** Ursula and Vanessa are 2 different people **5)** This is Jim/Ariel and slight Eric/Vanessa. If you don't like it, don't read it...also, **I OWN NOTHING!**


	2. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER 1**

_"Then one magic night…  
><em>_I found more than just a storybook romance."  
>-Cinderella III<em>

…

She lay there…all alone…and she didn't understand it…any of it.

Her lip quivered as she tried to hold back the tears stinging her eyes. Silently she chanted, "_I will not cry…I will not cry…I will not cry"_ but even that didn't help.

The Prince, HER Prince was getting married to some random woman that no one knew...

She smiled. She even laughed a little. "_How ironic"_ Here she was, upset about how smitten he was over a practical stranger and didn't she react the same way with him? Didn't he kind of act the same way with her?

"_This is different though!"_ she told herself. Well it kind of was. So what if she fell head over heels; it's called, "love at first sight" not "love at first formal introduction". Even though he was all that she could think about and even though she wanted to be with him (or at least near him) every waking moment, it's not like she was expecting him to marry her…

Well she wasn't expecting a sudden marriage…

Actually, she wasn't expecting anything from him…

She fancied running away with him but she wasn't serious about it.

And then…last night…

It was like something out of those romance novels that Attina would read; or like one of Adella's crazy dream dates.

Only…it was real…and it happened to her.

It seemed so magical, last night. Out on the lagoon…the twinkling stars…the dancing fireflies…the singing fish and birds.

And when they held hands!

She brought her hands to her face. They still felt tingly from his touch.

And her lips…they remain untouched.

She sat up and wiped her tears. She scratched her head as she though about last night. She remembered leaning in to kiss him…Was he going to kiss her?...Did he want to kiss her?

This wasn't happening. This couldn't happen.

No. He and…whatever her name is are making a huge mistake…right?

He belongs with her and she with him…right?

She gave up everything for him, to be with him…right?

She loves him more that that girl does, so they belong together…right?

Right?

This has to be a mistake! She must have just heard wrong! There's no way this wedding can happen!

"_Right?"_

Just then there was a knock at her door. "Rise a shine, deary." said Carlotta. "Isn't today lovely? It's just perfect for a wedding."

She silently grunted and fell back onto her mattress.

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><p><strong>AN **1st chapter is up! I'm so excited! I know it's not that long but stick around, the chapters will get longer, I promise.  
>You may notice that I used neither Eric's nor Ariel's name. These were just some of the things going on through my mind when my prince broke my heart. The sadness...trying to optimistic...reminiscing...the denial...Anyway this is probably the only chapter that I'll do like this.<br>Also _"italics"_ is Ariel speaking but she's silent.

Thank you for reading  
>Please Review<p> 


	3. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2  
><strong>"_Have you heard what they're saying in the streets?"  
>-Anastasia (20th Century FOX)<em>

Today was an exciting day; probably the busiest day in the kingdom's history. Everyone hustled and bustled here and there trying to get their work done. Butchers, bakers, candle stick makers, everyone worked hard to get everything ready for tonight, for tonight was the night that their monarch, Prince Eric, would marry.

In every shop and street, men, women, and children gossiped about their future queen. The news spread like a wildfire through the common folk.

"They say she's a princess from a foreign land."

"She's so exotic looking. I think she's from Russia."

"She's an Afrikaner*, definitely an Afrikaner."

"Have you ever seen someone so majestic looking?"

"Well if you ask me, she's got the face of a horse but I hear that her voice could put a choir boy to shame."

"I hear her hair is insured for 50,000 Krones*."

And as the evening approached, shops closed early and everyone with an invitation wore their best Sunday clothes. Even Dr. Delbert Doppler dressed in his best attire. "Good evening Sarah," he said as he stepped into the Binbow Inn where Sarah Hawkins, the owner of said Inn, lives and works. He stood up straight and held out his arms saying, "Well, how do I look?"

Sarah glanced him over. "You look very nice tonight, Delbert. What's the occasion?"

Delbert looked shocked. "You mean you don't know?"

"If it's about the wedding, then I know." She gathered some dishes together and placed them on a tray. "People have been coming in and out of here telling me anything that they can about the wedding. I know all about the florist and the streamers and the cake and everything else. I just don't know why you're so dolled up."

"Well, it just so happens that Amelia will be captaining Prince Eric's wedding ship."

"WHAT?" Sarah dropped the plate she was holding. Somehow, the sound of it shattering didn't take away from the conversation.

"I know. Isn't it great." said Delbert with pride. "And yours truly shall be escorting her to the dock. I would go with her on board but I wasn't exactly invited to the-"

"Wait a minute!" interrupted Sarah. Though normally she didn't mind the doctor's ramblings, there was a topic that she couldn't stray away from just yet. "Amelia is captaining the ship?"

"Yes…" said Delbert. He wasn't exactly sure where this was going.

With a cool and steady gaze, Sarah looked directly into Delbert's eyes. She knew he wouldn't lie to her when she asked, "Is a certain someone going to be rigging the ship?"

Delbert, starting to feel a little uncomfortable, started to drum his fingers together. "If you're referring to Jim," started Delbert. Jim Hawkins, Sarah's son, often times worked as a rigger on Captain Amelia's ship, the RLS Legacy; it wasn't a job that Sarah approved of, on account of it being so dangerous. "It's an oar ship. Rigging isn't necessary."

"Oh thank God!" sighed Sarah.

Delbert backed away before saying, "So he'll be working as an A.B.S.*"

"WHAT?" screamed Sarah. Luckily, Delbert was out of the way when another dish went flying out of her hands. "AND YOU'RE JUST TELLING ME THIS NOW?"

"W-well I-I taught-thought that you already know-knew."

"Well apparently I didn't!"

Just then, a fast thudding sound came from the stairway as a young man with brown hair, wearing a class A sailor's uniform* came rushing down. He didn't bother stopping to chat with the two adults. He just whizzed by saying, "ByeMomIgottagoI'llberightbackIloveyoubye." Despite his speed and the fact that the door was close by, three words managed to stop him where he stood.

"JAMES PLEIADES HAWKINS"

Jim froze and turned around to find his mother glaring at him. _Hands on the hips. Tight lip. Tapping foot. Yup, she knows._ "Mom…before you say anything, I just want you to know-"

"You march back upstairs and take off that uniform."

"But Mom-"

"Upstairs!" Jim sighed but obeyed anyway. Sarah waited until she couldn't hear his footsteps before continuing her conversation with Delbert. "Can you believe that?"

"You mean the way he just walked upstairs, no questions asked because I can't believe…" he stopped when he noticed Sarah glaring at him and as smoothly as he could he said, "I mean yes. I can believe it."

Sarah sighed. "Oh! It's not about that, Delbert." She slumped into a nearby table. And when the doctor felt that it was safe enough, he joined her. "Why does he have to love going out to sea so much?" She pulled out her locket and opened it. Inside was a picture of her son when he was 3-years-old, happy and adorable. _Why couldn't he stay like that? _She smiled. "Does he love torturing me or something? I mean, he goes off and I have to worry about sharks and storms and pirates and-"

"Mom, it's no big deal." Sarah and Delbert looked up to see Jim leaning over the stair banister. "The ship won't even go past the shallows. We'll still be in Danish waters."

"Upstairs!"

Once again, Jim marched upstairs. This time however, there were a few grunted mutterings followed by the soft thudding noise of his bedroom door. Sarah sighed again and put her locket away. However, it was Dr. Doppler who spoke first. "Sarah," he said before clearing his throat. "Don't you think that maybe you're taking things too seriously?"

"I don't think he's taking this seriously enough." she scoffed. "I mean, you heard about what happened out there. Just a couple of weeks ago Prince Eric's ship was destroyed in a storm. And that happened in Danish waters!" She closed her locket and put it away as she thought about what could have happened that night. "It was by some miracle the prince was able to wash up on shore safely...but I don't think Jim would be so fortunate..." Just then, there was a knock at the door. Not bothering to wait, the person on the other side opened it up.

A woman with short orange hair came inside and smoothed out her uniform. "Good evening Mrs. Hawkins…" It was Captain Amelia. "Dr. Doppler…"

"Yes Amelia, your escort is ready."

"Yes, I can see that." she retorted. "Sarah, where's Jim? Did he not inform you of his assignment this evening?"

Sarah sighed. "Yes…he did…albeit at the last minute. Hang on; he'll be down in a sec." Sarah walked over to the stairs and called out, "Jim! Come down here! The captain is waiting!"

"What?" she heard from Jim's room. "You told me to come upstairs and change!"

"Don't tell me what I said. Get down here; you have a job to do."

Amelia sighed. "I can't stay for very long," She looked at her watch before continuing, "I need to inspect the ship before any of the guests arrive."

"Okay," said Delbert. "Amelia, how about we go to the port and when Jim gets...re-dressed, Sarah, you could tell him to catch up with us."

"Fine." said Amelia. "But he's got an hour or else I'm taking off with or without him."

"He'll be there." said Sarah. She waved her friends off, closed the door, and leaned against it. Today was a long, long day..._and tonight was going to be a long night_. She walked over to the stairs again and called out, "You've got one hour Jim." After that, she grabbed a broom and dustpan. "Time to start cleaning up."

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><p>Jim came bumbling down the stairs, struggling to get his boots on. His shirt was untucked and his jacket had some wrinkles but that was bound to happen sooner or later. When he finally got his boots laced up, he called out, "Okay Mom, I love you, bye." and rushed to the door. Before he could reach the knob, he heard his mother call out, "James wait!" He turned around to see Sarah coming out of the kitchen; she had one hand at her heart. Jim sighed. <em>She must have been looking at the locket again<em>. "Mom, I told you; it's no big-" He was cut off by a pair of arms wrapping around him. It took him a moment to realize that his mother was hugging him. Now that he thought about it…it has seemed like quite a while since they hugged. "Mom," he started as he returned the hug. "I'll be fine. You've got nothing to worry about…okay?"

Sarah sighed. "Just be safe out there."

"I will Mom. Besides, it's a wedding, what could happen?"

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><p><strong>AN** Just a few definitions below if you didn't know them  
><span>Afrikaner<span>: a white south african of dutch descent  
><span>Krone<span>: I might be wrong, but I think that it is or was Danish currency  
><span>A.B.S.:<span> Able Bodied Sailor (it's like a ranking on a ship)  
><span>class A sailor's uniform<span>: I don't know if there is such a thing, but since the wedding is on a ship and sailors will be sailing it, I think that they need to look classy too right?

This was just a quick glimpse into the Hawkins family. Expect the plot to thicken a bit in the next chapter.

Thank You for Reading  
>Please Review<p> 


	4. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3  
><strong>"_I know not what the future holds, but I do know who holds the future."  
><em>_-(I have no idea who said this)_

Ariel sighed as she flopped back onto her bed. Today was going by so slowly. It wouldn't have felt so slow though if she had something to do. Carlotta was helping Vanessa with her dress. Grimsby was helping Eric with his suit. She thought about helping Louis but Ariel was completely lost in the kitchen. And Max…_Where is Max?_

As if the big lovable heap of fur could read minds, Max bounded in the room. Even though Ariel felt like withering away into nothingness at the moment, she couldn't help but smile when Max barked happily and jumped in her lap. She petted his head and started ruffling his fur when she felt something unusual at the sheepdog's neck.

Ariel tried to move his fur out of the way and saw that under the leather strap of his collar, there was a rolled up scrap of paper. She took the little paper, unrolled it and saw that there was a message in it. _This is Atlantican writing!_ _It's a message from Sebastian._

After reading the secret message, Ariel felt like kicking herself. She probably would have done so if Max wasn't pinning her legs down. After all, here she was wrapped up in her own emotional storm and she had forgotten all about her friends. _I can't believe I dragged them into this mess._

She read the message again. Knowing what she had to do, she rubbed Max's belly and gave him a little push, signaling for him to get up. When she was free from her canine confine, she stood up, wiped the fur from her dress and headed out.

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><p>Sneaking out of the palace was easier than she thought. Every maid and manservant were busy cleaning and running errands and fussing over something called a nursery...<em>whatever that is<em>. It seemed as if no one cared about the intriguing mystery girl anymore...

Words could not describe how grateful Ariel was that Eric's castle was conveniently located by the sea; more importantly, by the peir. She was just a walk away from the huge ship that the wedding was being held at. Sebastian wanted to meet her there. _Poor Sebastian._ Ariel couldn't believe that she had dragged the little crustacean into this mess. And then this morning after Scuttle woke them up with a well meaning but misleading "congratulations", she just took off without so much of a good morning. _I wonder what he's been up to._

The wedding was going to be beautiful from what Ariel could tell. Servants placed bouquets of strange looking flowers everywhere. There were delicate looking chairs being placed in neat looking rows. The food spread looked pretty too. Never had Ariel seen so many colors and different types of food. As her eyes scanned the table she thought, _I'm glad there isn't any fish._ It was probably just a way to keep the birds at bay though. There was a tall and wierd looking cake too. _I wonder how cake tastes on land._ Her mouth watered at the sugary treat until she saw the names written on it. _"Eric & Vanessa"_ in the center of a heart. Ariel scowled at it and turned away. _Focus on the boat. Focus on the boat. Focus on the boat._ The boat itself was actually quite breath taking. It was unlike any other ship Ariel had seen. There weren't any sails. Instead there were these strange devices lowered into the water. There had to have been at least a dozen on each side. _I wonder what they do_ Ariel thought as she peered over the side.

"Psst! Ari-yal..."

Ariel looked for the sound and noticed a red dot in a dinghy. She looked around to make sure that no one was paying attention to her. The servants were too busy working. An orange haired woman was now on the ship. She was dressed very nicely but oddly enough was wearing pants and she seemed to be looking around for something. _Oh well. She's not going to notice me._ Ariel slowly made her way to the dinghy. It was positioned near the stern and over the railing. It was probably for emergencies.

Ariel climbed over the railing and into the dingy. However in the process of doing so, her heels slipped off and into the water below. Sebastian looked down at the falling shoes and then back at her. Ariel rolled her eyes. _Oh well...I never really did like wearing shoes anyway. _She thought as she wiggled her toes. Just then Flounder breached the water's surface and jumped as high as he could saying, "Hi Ariel!" Ariel leaned over and waved to her friend below.

"Ari-yal," Sebastian started, "I know dat de past few days have been...exciting. But I tink dat it would be best if we went back home...to Atlantica." Ariel stopped wiggling her toes. She stared out into the ocean with a distant and lost look on her face. Sebastian continued. "I know dat your fadder is worried about you. And life here hasn't been going like we planned...I tink dat it's time we go back to de water where we belong."

_"Home?"_ Back to Daddy? Back to her sisters? Back where Eric and people like him didn't exist? Back where people didn't try to kiss you one minute and then act like you didn't exist the next? Even though she knew she'd be yelled at, beached* and probably wouldn't be allowed out of the castle without a military escort, to Ariel, home sounded comforting right about now. _"I think it's a great idea Sebastian."_

"Look Ari-yal, I don't care if you want to stay wit de yoo-mans, we're going home and dats- oh!" Sebastian had been expecting to debate the headstrong girl. After all, he had to argue with her about everything else. "Well good. Because I already talked to de Sea Witch."

Another splash was heard as Flounder asked, "What did she say? What did she say?"

Ariel leaned over the dinghy and gave her fish friend a thumbs up.

Flounder somersaulted into the air. "Great! When does Ursula get here?"

As if on cue, a black tentacle snaked its way out of the water. The tip of it pointed to the dinghy and then pointed back to the water's surface; signaling Ariel to lower the boat. And although Ariel had no idea what she was doing, after a few trial and errors, she finally managed to get the dinghy closer to the water. As soon as she did, Ursula peered out of the water. Her shifty eyes went this way and that before she came out some more. "Well?..."

Sebastian cleared his throat. "Ari-yal has decided to go back to Atlantica. So work up your magic."

"Yeah..." Ursula folded her arms saying, "Im afraid I can't do that. You see, mixing potions isn't exactly the smartest thing to do. So unless you want to end up as a scaly abomination," she looked at Ariel, "I'm afraid you're stuck with your legs."

"Now see here Sea Witch!" yelled Sebastian. "You said dat you would-"

"I know what I said!" Ursula ducked back into the water and kept an eye out in case any humans heard. When she deemed it safe enough, she came back out and said to Ariel, "I can't do anything about your situation, not until a year passes."

"But we can't wait a year." said Flounder.

"Well, if you really want to go..." Ursula held out her hand. She caught a ray of the now setting sun and it glimmered and gleamed and it turned into a strange looking dagger.

_"What is that?"_ Ariel asked.

"Speak up darling. I can't hear you." Ursula snickered and tossed the dagger to Ariel. "It's a dagger. What's it look like?"

"WHAT?" yelled Sebastian.

Flounder started to shake and stutter, "Y-y-you m-mean she's g-gotta-"

Ursula sneered. "Kill the prince."

Ariel gasped. Thankfully she didn't need her voice to do that. _"Kill the prince?..."_

"Unless you feel like waiting a year, it's the only way to reverse the potion." explained Ursula. "Kill the prince and when his blood from the dagger touches your feet, you'll turn back into a mermaid."

_"Kill the prince?..."_

Ursula rolled her eyes. "The only reason you came here was to get dear old princey to fall in love with you." She said as she slowly started to descend back into the sea. "Now that that's out of the question, it's only reasonable that you use his blood to get your fins back. Just be sure to do it before dawn or else the dagger will turn back into sunlight."

"Now wait one minute!" cried Sebastian. When he had Ursula's attention, he continued with, "If we go through wit dis, when do we get Ari-yal's voice back? We can't go back to Atlantica without her voice."

Ursula tapped her chin. "Hmm...how about the day after NEVER. It's my policy, no substitutions, exchanges, or refunds."

Sebastian folded his claws. "I looked at de contract. Dat policy wasn't stated in der at all. So unless you want to drag dis through de courts, I suggest you give us back Ari-yal's voice as soon as she gets her fins."

Ursula growled. _Of course the little bug would read the contract fully._ "Fine." she mumbled and then disappeared, leaving an inky trail.

_"Kill the prince?..."_

Sebastian looked at the sun. It was still in the sky, but it wouldn't be for long. "Flounder, I suggest you go home. Your mudder might start to worry about you."

"Yeah, okay." said Flounder. Before taking off, he turned to Ariel. "Hey Ariel...I'm sorry you have to kill Eric but at least now everything will go back to n-normal right? We'll- um- we'll play games and-and-and we'll- um- we'll explore sunken ships again and um get into trouble and-and-and all that stuff that we used to do...okay?"

_"Kill the prince?..."_

"Okay...see you tomorrow Ariel. See you later Sebastian."

Sebastian sighed and massaged his temples. Today was not going as planned. He didn't even want to get started on the engagement; no one saw that coming. But as for returning home, he figured that if one potion got them into this mess then another would get them out. _Would it be wrong to kill him though?_ After all, it would mean one less human to worry about. On one hand, Sebastian didn't condone of murder but on the other hand, he didn't really like humans either. Since day one he's been chased, harrased, and swatted at but then again, did that justify killing the prince? He looked at Ariel who still had that far away look in her eyes._ It's up to her to decide. _"Ari-yal..."Luickily, he was able to get her attention. "You don't have to go through wit dis if you don't want to. We could just-"

Ariel held up her hand to silence him. She held the dagger in the light. As she stared at it, she saw her life. How things were and how they were supposed to be. She saw sneaking into her grotto. She saw exploring with Flounder. She saw getting into trouble with Urchin...welcoming Spot when his pod migrated...hanging out with Gabriella and Pearl*...getting lectures from her sisters...fighting with her sisters...having fun with her sisters...playing pranks on Adella...most importantly though, she saw her father. Would he be mad? Yes. Furious? Absolutely. Understanding? Probably not. Forgiving?..._I hope so._ Her mind made up, she looked to Sebastian. _"I'll do it."_

"Ari-yal...are you sure?"

She gave a firm nod of her head. Sebastian was right. They didn't belong here. And the sooner she went back to Atlantica, the sooner she could get on with her life...the way it's supposed to be.

Ariel was jarred from her thoughts as the ship started to sway. They were taking off which meant only one thing; the wedding was about to start. "Ari-yal, don't you want to..." Ariel shook her head. She couldn't handle going back up there. She didn't rally know anyone and the one person she did know was getting married. She couldn't handle sitting through that. Ariel brought her knees to her chest and stared at the sunset. A tear ran down her cheek as music began to play.

The wedding was begining.

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><p><strong>AN **In case you didn't know...  
><span>Beached:<span> grounded  
><span>Urchin-Pearl:<span> characters from the tv series

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, feel free to ask/tell me.

Thank You for Reading  
>Please Review<p> 


	5. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4  
><strong>"Love is like manure; it stinks but it makes beautiful flowers grow._"  
><em>_-My Big Bro_

The wedding was absolutely amazing. One never would have known that everything was put together in less than a day. Even some neighboring monarchs were able to attend at such short notice. Eric smiled and gave a small wave to a friend in the crowd. Vanessa saw this. Curious as to who this was, she leaned over and whispered. "Who's that dear?"

"That's Charming*." Eric whispered. "He's the Prince of England. We've been best buds for as long as I can remember." He then pointed out a short balding man standing next to Prince Charming. "And that's his father, King Henry. We'll be hearing from him a lot."

"Oh..." Vanessa glanced over Eric as he escorted her down the asile. _"He sure does clean up nicely."_ she thought. Last night when they met, she thought that he was some crazed drifter or a wandering sailor or something. He was dressed so casually, so...un-princely. Now that she had seen what he looked like in his regal attire..._"I have to see to it that Carlotta throws out his sailor stuff."_ Vanessa was distracted by the sound of a low growling. She looked down and saw Erics mutt bareing his teeth at her. After a quick kick to the face though, those growls were replaced by soft whimpers. She then stuck her nose up in the air. _"That ought to take care of that."_ Much to her delight, the ship came to a halt when they reached the alter. _"Thank God."_ she thought. _"Anymore swaying and I was going to puke. Ugh, why did I agree to a wedding at sea?"_

* * *

><p>Vanessa's joy at the stop could not compare to Jim's relief. Seeing as how the ship could only move thanks to the numerous oars along its side, Captain Amelia needed even more numerous A.B.S.s to man the oars. Needless to say, it was a difficult and tiring job. Jim sighed as he slumped to the floor. "Captain?" he called. "How long until we head back?"<p>

Amelia looked at her pocket watch. To be honest, she really didn't want to be out here either. In fact she and Delbert had plans for this evening but duty called. "The speech and vows should take about 30 minutes. So you've only got 15 minutes to rest." Amelia was prepared for the groaning and moaning from her tired sailors. So when their whines reached her ears she already had a little pep talk ready. "Now, now, we've lasted this long. All we have to do is turn the ship around and row back." And since that didn't satisfy them, she added, "And you'll all be paid double."

That seemed to lift their spirits a bit.

Well, it lifted most of their spirits. Jim on the other hand couldn't be bought over with money. His legs were asleep, his arms were stiff and locked into place, and the guy he was sitting next to was annoying. What good would any money be if his legs became noodles? If his arms snapped off? Or if he went insane? "Captain!" he called, "15 minutes isn't enough."

"Well Mr. Hawkins, it's all we've got." Amelia said. "And put your arms down." she added

Jim looked at his arms. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't move his arms. They wouldn't budge. Not even an inch. "I can't. They're stuck like this."

Amelia sighed. Useless arms meant a useless sailor. And a useless sailor meant an inefficient crew. And an inefficient crew meant a slow ship. And a slow ship meant an unhappy prince. "Very well then. Lean against them. Maybe they'll become mobile when they lose their blood flow."

Using the little strength that he had left, Jim managed to put his arms behind his back and press them against the hull of the ship. Not really having anything to do (and not really wanting to talk to anyone) he decided to catch a glimpse of the ocean view through the crack of the hull. But when Jim looked out, he couldn't see the ocean. "What the...a boat?" He looked closer and saw the Danish coat of arms engraved on the side of it. "It's the ship's dinghy. But what's it doing so close to the water?" Just then, he saw a leg swinging over the side of it. It was slender; obviously it belongs to a woman. But what was a woman doing in the dinghy? And why isn't she wearing shoes? "Hey, Captain-"

"Alright men, time's up. Let's turn this tub around."

Jim sat up. His arms felt strange as blood rushed back into them but at least they were moveable now. "Aye aye Captain." He looked back outside. The woman he saw sat up when the ship started moving again. That's when he noticed her firery red hair. He had never seen hair so red. Even the captain's hair wasn't so vibrant. The next thing he saw were her eyes; so big, so blue. _What the heck is this mystery pretty girl doing in a dinghy? _"Mr. Hawkins, this ship won't row itself." Jim turned to find Amelia glaring at him. Apparently, while he was wrapped up in the mystery girl, everyone else had started working again. "Sorry about that Captain. I was just..." He looked back out of the crack, but the red head had gone back to laying down, her leg dangling over the side again, "I was just lost in thought."

"Well I'm not paying you to think, Jim. I'm paying you to row, so row."

Jim sighed. "Aye aye Captain."

* * *

><p>"So by the power vested in me," said the shaky priest. Vanessa was suprised that the old man was able to last so long. <em>But if he doesn't hurry it up, he won't last much longer.<em> "I now pronounce you, husband and wife...You may now kiss the bride." _Finally._ Vanessa had been waiting all day for this. Their first kiss. Of course, Vanessa had been kissed before, but never by someone like Eric. He was sweet...romantic...a little "out there" but in a cute way. She couldn't believe that she had a guy like- no, a husband like Eric. And he loved her! He actually loved her! _I mean, if he didn't why would he marry me?_ Vanessa felt a soft passion in his lips as they carressed hers. She then felt her cheeks burn as the crowds cheers broke threw their moment together. And then after that, it was like all hell broke loose.

The newlyweds were pulled away from each other as the guests gave their congratulations. Eric felt honored and kind of embarrassed as guys slapped his back and shook his hand. Even King Henry was enthusiastic. The little balding king shook Eric's hand hard saying, "Congratulations my boy! It's about time you settled down. I was starting to get a little worried, actually. Haha. My! Your parents would be proud. Oh! And what a woman! She's quite a looker if I do say so myself. Hahaha!" Before Henry could continue, the duke guided him away, being sure to give his congratulations as well. Charming stepped up and said, "Sorry about that. Dad's a little um..."

"Tipsy?" asked Eric. Although it was rather rude to assume it, the king did reek of champaign.

Charming wasn't offended though. Instead, he laughed saying, "Yeah. You know he can't stand being on a ship sober." The two friends shared a laugh together. It was nice to see an old friend again. But before either of them could start reminiscing or ask what's new, Charming extended his hand to a beautiful young woman standing a few steps away. "First off, congratulations Eric. And second, I'd like you to meet my wife, Cinderella."

Eric took Cinderella's hand and kissed it; a gentleman's way of greeting a lady. "Hello Cinderella. I'm glad you able to come."

"I'm honored to have been invited Your Highness."

Eric laughed at the girl's formality. She carried herself so modestly, unlike any noble lady Eric had ever met. "Please, call me Eric. It is my name after all. You guys go ahead and get something to drink. I have plenty more to welcome."

Unlike Eric, Vanessa didn't really know anyone there. She felt harassed as countless women came up to her crying and blabbering away about how happy they were for her and how beautiful she looked and how wonderful the ceremony was...It was all a little sickening. So she was glad when she was able to get away from that horrible herd of estrogen and stand alongside her husband. "Eric," she whispered, "this is all a little too much for me. Is there someplace where we could be alone?"

"Alone?" Eric had to think about that for a minute. Sure he'd love some alone time with Vanessa but where would they go? It's not like there were any private rooms. _Well, not on this ship._ "Can you put up with it for a while? Just until we reach the dock. Then we can have as much alone time as you want." he whispered. He kissed her, hoping that it would help her to bear through the desicion.

She smiled and sighed, knowing that he was trying to keep her happy. "Okay...but just until we reach the dock. Then I want you all to myself."

* * *

><p>Ariel heard the cheers from above. She heard music playing and a strange popping sound that she knew was from one of those funny looking bottles. They were celebrating. The humans were celebrating<em>. Too bad they don't know what's about to happen.<em> Ariel starred at the dagger. She kept it hidden withing a little crevase in the boat. Looking into the magical weapon, she felt something strange coming from it. It was as if there was an overwhelming power radiating from the lethal device. As scary as it was, she also found it very hypnotic. She couldn't turn away from it; from what it promised. In it, she saw herself happy but she also saw what she would have to do to obtain happiness and that was enough to make her blood run cold.

"Are you alright, Ari-yal?"

Ariel turned to her friend Sebastian. Unable to answer, all she could do was stare at him and hope that her eyes could convey how she felt. Her sadness. Her fear. Her uncertainty. She sold her voice for legs but now she felt like she'd be selling her soul for her fins.

Sebastian nodded. He seemed to understand what she was thinking and feeling. "You know Ari-yal, we don't have to do dis. We could just wait a year, it'll go by quickly I'm sure."

Ariel shook her head. Her father would probably be mad at her and she had only been gone for three days. She couldn't imagine how angry he'd be if she were gone for a year. Nope. She made up her mind. She was going home no matter what.

Just as the sun set and the moon rose into the sky, the wedding ship stopped. Ariel looked around. She could hear the guest leaving, their drunken state made them trip and slip and use such foul language as they did so. One man, a rather round one, almost fell off of the dock as he walked to his carraige. Ariel looked up. She needed to get off the ship and find Eric. She only had until sunrise to do the deed and the clock was ticking.

Sebastian looked at the ocean. The water was so tempting, he almost wanted to jump in it. He probably would have if it weren't for the tiger sharks. He couldn't see them but he knew that they like to feed around this time. He sighed. _Just a few more hours and we'll be back in de water. _"Well Ari-yal," he said. "It's time."

* * *

><p>"Good job men. To recieve your pay, please see Mr. Arrow in an orderly fashion. Thank you." said Amelia. She dismissed her weary sailors but pulled aside the more reliable ones, including a certain rigger. "Not so fast, Mr. Hawkins." She pulled him out of earshot and to tell him about the prince's last minute request.<p>

* * *

><p>Ariel climbed off the ship. She made sure to stay away from the crowds and avoid anyone's gaze. The dagger she had was concealed in her corset which made walking very uncomfortable and awkward and she was hoping that no one would notice.<p>

She had her weapon, her target, and something of a plan, now all she needed was the opportunity. "Ariel!" Ariel turned sharply and instantly regretted it. The dagger slid and pricked her. She smiled as she tried to hide her pain...emotionally and physically. "Ariel," said Eric as he ran up to her, "I need you to do me a favor." Ariel nodded eagerly. Though she felt rage towards him and though she was set on killing him tonight, she still couldn't help but want to please him..._damn him._

Eric smiled that cute goofy smile of his and rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, you see, Vanessa wants some- uh- alone time...kinda. So I'm taking her out to sea for the night."

Ariel nodded.

Eric continued. "And, well, Max won't go in the palace without me and so, I figured you could keep him company, so that he wouldn't be a...um...distraction?" Ariel smiled and placed her hand on Eric's shoulder. Taking it as a yes, Eric let out a sigh of relief. It was already awkward having to ask anyone this question, let alone the girl whose name he just learned yesterday, but at least she was willing to to do it. "Thanks Ariel. You don't know how much this means to me."

Ariel smiled, nodded and walked away. Her walk soon turned into a fast pace. And her fast pace turned into a jog. And that soon turned into a run. Tears blurred her vision and she couldn't tell if she was smiling or wincing, either way, her mouth was hurting.

Her feet carried her to Eric's ship, the H.C.A. Legacy*. As she ran on, she accidentally bumped into someone or something. She couldn't tell and she didn't stop. She just ran and kept running, not stopping until she found a room where she could be alone.

Whatever room it was, it was dark and small and it smelled like old moldy papers. She pressed herself against the far wall, wishing that she could run further. _Damn her! Damn him! And damn that stupid priest! _She sunk to the floor wishing that she could just fade into nothing. Anything had to have been better than what she was going through now. She felt a shuffle in her pocket. It was Sebastian. He crawled out and laid a claw on her hand, offering her some silent comfort.

Ariel smiled sadly and wiped her eyes. _Just a few more hours..._

* * *

><p>"You've got to be kidding." Jim was tired. He was cranky. His arms were still sore and all he wanted to do was go home. "You want me to do what?"<p>

"It's only for one night, Mr. Hawkins. Besides, I thought you'd be thrilled. You'll be doing some real work for a change."

"Yeah but- oof!" Some lady had just ran into him, knocking the wind out of his lungs. He was going to call out to her, but then he noticed her impossibly red hair. The same red hair that he had seen earlier. _Mystery girl?_

"There's no point in argueing Mr. Hawkins." said Amelia. "Your working on the Prince's ship, I'm being paid triple, and since my previous plans for this evening are not going to happen, I can't think of a better way to waste my night away. Report to the H.C.A. immediately."

Jim sighed. "Aye Captain." Tonight was not his night.

* * *

><p>Vanessa messaged her temples. <em>This isn't what I had in mind.<em>

"This is romantic...right?" Eric asked. The newlyweds were standing in the middle of their makeshift honeymoon suite. It's was actually Eric's captain quarters decorated with candles, rose petals and a silver bucket of ice and wine. "Wow! I can't believe they got so much done in so little time."

Vanessa grumbled and started taking off her dress and veil. They were married now; there was no reason to act nice anymore. If she didn't like something she could say it flat out, no worries. "No Eric. It's not." she said. "There's nothing romantic about being on a creaking hunk of wood!"

Eric looked puzzled. "Vanessa, is something wrong?"

"Yes, there is something wrong! Why couldn't we have gone to your palace?"

"You said that you wanted to be alone. And there's no way we'd have any privacy back at the palace." said Eric.

Vanessa scoffed. "Whatever. Just pour me some wine." she said. "The sooner I get drunk, the sooner this night will be over."

Eric sighed and muttered, "I couldn't agree with you more."

* * *

><p><strong>AN** Prince Charming: I couldn't have been the only one who noticed it. During the wedding scene w/ Eric and Vanessa/Ursula and when all of the animals get on the boat, I swear you'll see the King and Duke from Disney's 1950 Cinderella. Also somehow, Ariel is barefoot when she's on the dock but then she magically has shoes on the ship.  
><span>H.C.A. Legacy:<span> it's what I've decided to call Eric's ship. ( RLS stands for Robert Louis Stevenson, the authour of Treasure Island; HCA stands for Hans Christian Andersen, the author of The Little Mermaid)

Thank you for reading  
>please review :)<p> 


	6. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER 5  
><strong>_"Who will console me and kiss away my tears when love has gone away?"  
>-1992 Jetlag Production's Cinderella*<em>

Time is a friend to no one. It goes by slowly when you're eager and flies by when you wish for the world to stop. Ariel had never really thought about time but tonight, it was all she could think about: time and how quickly it was running out. She stayed away from the bed; couldn't risk falling alseep. And she stayed away from the porthole; her homesickness was too much. She paced the floor at times. And at times she stood perfectly still. She felt like a mad woman, scheming and lurking about. And the lack of sleep didn't help her psyche.

Max was asleep, snoaring softly. Sebastian slept curled up on the bed pillow. Poor old crab. He needed the sleep.

But tonight he wasn't getting any...

* * *

><p>Sebastian yawned, still drowsy and still unware of how shaky Ariel's hands were. Normally he'd travel in her pockets but seeing as her nightgown didn't have any, he had to make due with her cold, shaky hands. "Are you sure 'bout dis Ari-yal?"<p>

She nodded. She had already played all of the scenarios in her head. This was the only way. Sebastian was to crawl out to the bowspirt and await her signal that she was alright. In the meantime, Ariel would do the deed and rush out through the Prince's large window in his cabin. Hopefully she'd be able to get out before her tail came back.

She took Sebastian to the bow and would have placed him on the bowspirt herself, but a noise caused her to hide, fearful that someone would find her and discover her scheme. Sebastian surried away unnoticed while Ariel hid behind a few barrels. What was the cause of the disturbance? A sleepy sailor stumbling down from the crows nest. _They must be rotating their shifts now._ she thought.

She snuck up the steps leading from the main deck to the quater deck. On shaky legs, she slowly made her way to the captian's quater's where Prince Eric and his new bride were sleeping. She didn't know how long she had been standing infront of the door, clutching the handle, but finally she mustered up enough courage to venture inside. _No turning back now._

* * *

><p>Slowly Ariel eased herself into the room. Moving at a sea slugs pace, it felt like hours before half of her body came inside. She paused when a sharp breath was heard. Someone had rolled over but they were still unconcious. Still, Ariel held her breath as she inched inside.<p>

She felt a madness wash over her as she proceeded. A nervousness made her hands clammy and her feet shaky. On top of that, her stomach was light from lack of food and the stress she was going through threatend to make her faint. But still she pressed on.

...

The night had reached its darkest point and still Ariel felt so far away from completing her task. She was completely inside and that calmed her a little but her nervousness could not be tamed completely. She was just halfway across the room and still she jumped at every sound, at every rustle in the wind and every shadow that stood out in the inky darkness.

...

She had finally made it to Eric's bedside. The deathly instrument was firmly grasped in her hand; her fingers were stiff with an odd rigamortus, trapping it there and she had a sense of dread that made her want to sink to the bottom of the sea and rot.

But he looked so cute! As dreamy as the day she "met" him. Yet she had never seen him like this, so...serene looking. Usually he was such a fun loving, goofball. He was a goofball on the ship when she'd first seen him, at dinner, in town, during their lagoon adventure and even earlier today. And she had loved that about him. But now, it was like seeing a different side of him...a more mature side of him. The way the moonlight fell on his raven curls and silken face gave him a peaceful air. But his dimples still winked at her and Ariel couldn't help but smile.

And that's when she realised she was still in love with him...

_"Love doesn't matter anymore" _she told herself. She shook her head as if to get rid of such thoughts. _"All that matters is getting home."_

She gathered herself, and raised her arm high over her head...

* * *

><p>Eric awoke!<p>

He gasped and sat up in his bed. He looked around nervously, expecting something to jump out at him but instead he was greeted with an "Ugh..." from Vanessa. "What are you doing up so early?" she asked.

Eric looked around once again, and once again found nothing. "I could have sworn that someone was standing right here." He looked at the empty space next to his side of the bed.

Vanessa just rolled her eyes and said, "You probably just had a nightmare. Go back to sleep."

Eric laid back down, no longer feeling in danger. But no longer feeling very peaceful either. But by some miracle Eric did manage to get back to slumberland where he dreamed of a beautiful woman from the sea caressing and singing to him on a beautiful beach...

* * *

><p>Sebastian sat calmly...or as calmly as he possibly could. He was shaking with anxiety, waiting for Ariel's signal. It had been such a long time since he had last seen her and he was worried that she had been discovered. But much to his suprise (and relief) she appeared behind him, disheveled, sobbing, and "talking" a mile a minute*. Sebastian had to wave both of his claws, "Slow down, Ari-yal. I can't understand ya."<p>

She complied and did slow down but her frantic pacing and fast arm gestures made it impossible to understand her silent rant. (Not that he would have been able to understand her even with her voice.) Eventually, she collapsed onto the deck, curled up and started crying.

Sebastian didn't have to listen to her to know what happened. She couldn't go through with it and he couldn't blame her. He was pretty sure that he wouldn't be able to do it either. "It's okay, Ari-yal." he said as he crawled beside her and patted her hand. "We'll just get home some udder way."

* * *

><p>A couple of hours had passed and Ariel had long since stopped crying...<p>

She stopped babbling...

She stopped everything...

She just stared blankly out into the endless ocean. Sebastian had been going on about something; solutions, suggestions, something...Ariel wasn't listening. She couldn't help but think that it was all her fault. And in her guilt she developed a numbing barrier that kept her seperated from the rest of the world.

_It's funny really...If only I had just remembered the concert, then I never would have gotten into that fight with Daddy...I never would have gotten upset and swam off, and I never would have met Eric..._ Ariel thought as she remembered that fateful day. Then a sudden realization came over her. _But if I hadn't have been there, he would have died..._

_"AAAHHHH!" _Ariel silently screamed. Even after everything that has happened, it still didn't make sense. On one hand, she wished that she had never met the guy and on the other, she was glad that she did. In her frustration, she clenched her fist. She became aware of a humming sound and a tingle spreading up her arm. She looked down at her fist; the dagger was the source of this new sensation. As she glanced out into the brightening sky, she remembered that Ursula did say that the dagger was made out of sunlight; perhaps this was a warning that she only had a few moments left. As the humming grew louder, she raised the dagger to her eyes and this time, she saw the ugly face of guilt and heartache; how it laughed and jeered at her. It taunted her to the point that she could hear its' stinging laughter. And with a final burst of anger and desperation, she hurled the toturous object into the horizon...

...an idea struck...

* * *

><p><strong>AN **1992 Jetlag Production's Cinderella: this is the very first version of Cinderella that I remember seeing and it's one of the few versions that I like. I often have dreams with this song in it. (When Love Has Gone Away)  
><span>a mile a minute:<span> I know that this saying wasn't around at the time but you get the picture

Whoo! Finally! It took forever to get this chapter just right. BTW did you really think that I would kill of Eric? I know that Jim didn't appear and I know that they haven't really met yet, but (are you ready for this?) they're going to meet at the very begining of the next chapter! YAY! Until then,

Thanks for Reading  
>And Please Review :)<p> 


	7. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER 6**

"_No one wants to drown; Drowning would be the worst…"  
><em>_-Dane Cook_

Jim staggered down from the crow's nest, still swaying slightly thanks to the amplified movement up there. He plopped down onto the deck a little less gracefully than he wanted but…whatever. After regaining his balance, he stretched and cracked his back and other various joints, groaning as he did so. Maybe sleeping in the nest wasn't the best idea, but he was tired; it's not like the weather was bad or anything, and no pirate was stupid enough to attack the prince's ship when they were so close to the shore. After stretching out, he retied his boots, making sure to observe his surroundings as he did so. There was a sailor sleeping nearby, using a pile of rope as a blanket. _He probably has the next shift in the nest. _Jim thought. After pondering over it for a while, he decided to let the man sleep. _Besides, it's not like anything is happening._ And that's when he heard it!

…the Humming…

His head snapped to where the strange sound was coming from. There was a brilliant flash of red light* illuminating the sky! A bad omen as every sailor knew.*

But it wasn't the blinding omen that had the young sailor mesmerized, oh no. Rather it was who was eclipsing the light. A barefoot body dressed in pink, red hair fluttering through the morning breeze…vibrant…impossible…reddest of the red hair…he knew that hair. He gasped. _Mystery girl?_ Time stood still for a moment as a million and one things ran through his mind. Most of them were commands saying, _"Run! Run to her you idiot!"_ Those he ignored and suppressed with logical questions. Who is she? Is she real? Is this some apparition? Some trick of the sea? Some prank? A figment of his imagination? Why is she in a nightgown? Why does he keep seeing her?

But as one moment of infinity passed, in the next, she was gone; vanished, along with the light. He panicked as he believed that it indeed was a ghost; perhaps a murdered soul or some poor unfortunate* destined forever to look for her unburied body? But that went away, when he heard a distinct splashing sound.

* * *

><p>Unlike her previous experiences in the water without her tail, this time Ariel found it rather enjoyable. Ariel was completely unaware of how much she missed the ocean until she jumped inside. Her human ears, not quite accustomed to hearing underwater couldn't make out the panicked words of Sebastian as he most likely scolded her for doing something so hasty, but she didn't care. Here under the waves, where the sun wasn't harsh and the water was warm, this was her home, where she belonged. The human world, as fascinating as it is, was a wonderful adventure, but it was nothing compared to the sea. The sea was a part of her, and she a part of it. Here there were no complicated love issues, no strangers and best of all, no barrels full dead fish. And if these past three days taught her anything, it's that even with legs, she still didn't belong up there. Even now, as she was losing consciousness, as she was drifting further and further into the depths, Sebastian's muffled shouts no longer registering, there were only two words to describe the state she was in, <em>Absolute Euphoria.<em>

But wait! What's this? Before her mind was lost completely in the haze, she was able to feel two arms encircle her waist, and the warmth of the sun rushing back to her…

* * *

><p>Jim resurfaced with the mystery girl in his arms. Since her eyes were closed, he thought she'd be limp and lifeless, but no. She was well alive and kicking like a madwoman. "Will you stop that!" he yelled at her. Of course, he had to spit out the salt water that rushed into his mouth thanks to her splashing. He grabbed the side of the hull with one of his hands in an effort to keep both himself and the girl up. It still didn't help the fact that she was fighting him though. After sputtering up some more water, he scolded her asking, "What? Do you want to drown?" He was expecting her to calm down, but instead that comment just added fuel to her fire! She began to kick and flail with more vigor than before. Cranky and slightly exhausted from the hard work he did yesterday and the unfruitful sleep he had last night, Jim shoved the girl away from him, making sure that she was near a holding on the side of the hull though. "Fine! Go ahead and drown, see if I care!" Although, he did care a little (and he was relieved to see her grab the holding), he didn't know this girl and if she wanted to kill herself, that was her prerogative.<p>

They were silent for a while. The waves ebbed and rocked, causing the duo to move this way and that. Most of Jim's anger had subsided. He reached out to the girl obviously couldn't swim since she was haveing a hard time just staying afloat, but she would have none of that and refused his help; Which only added to the sailor's frustrations. Then suddenly, there was a shudder, he was pretty sure he heard a sob too, and he knew something had struck a chord in this girl. Maybe it was what he had said. Maybe it was whatever sad situation that had thrown them into this moment together. Maybe it was the fact that they were, as far as he knew, shark bait. Whatever it was, Jim was 100 percent sure that this girl was crying…then he saw her face. Those big, blue eyes; Those same blue eyes, now filled with so many sad and pathetic emotions; Those same blue eyes that were tired, puffy, and red; Those eyes that made him feel like he had just stepped on a kitten, were crying. It just made the situation even more awkward. Feeling guilty and compelled to somehow rectify the situation, Jim reached out to her, prying her away from the side of the hull that she held onto. "You can't swim can you?" Her cheeks red from embarrassment, she shook her head 'no'. He sighed. They couldn't stay like this forever. And since no one was calling out for them or tossing them a line, he could only assume that nobody knew of their predicamate. Jim looked up. He carfully calculated which holdings he could use to climb up to safety, however with the girl, it was going to be a bit more difficult. Her best chance was if he carried her, for even the best climber couldn't scale a slippery, algea and barnacled assailed hull without any shoes. Knowing what he had to do, Jim sighed again. "Hang onto me." He felt her drop as he let go, but she got a firm hold of him and pulled herself out of the water a little. With his hands free, he grabbed some holdings on the hull and hoisted himself up. "Okay...I got my arms out...Now the feet."Jim rose one foot out of the water, thankful that he had retied th laces earlier. He gently shook his foot to get as much water as he could off before placing it onto a holding. He then repeated the process with his next though he was happy that he was holding out pretty good, with the two of them out of the water and the girl's weight now fully ontop of him, he realised what position they were in. And the embarassment and akwardness almost made him consider climbing back down. For a minute he considered having her on his back instead of in his lap. _Nah...She'll probably choke me and then we will both fall off and drown._ So instead he just ignored the situation and prayed that she couldn't see him blushing. Using the same formula: hand, hand, foot, foot, and ignore the obvious, Jim eventually got both himself and the mysterious girl up to the main deck.

His body aching, his clothes heavy, slightly damp and slightly frozen thanks to the wind, not to mention the girl who seemed frozen and clung to him all were key factors in the tumble…The dreaded tumble that will land him in the biggest mess he had ever been in…

* * *

><p>Eric had gotten to that part of the dream again. The part that he enjoyed the most; The part where his vision was clearer and he'd finally be able to identify his savior. And since there weren't any pressing matters to attend to, nothing distracting him to wake him up, he'd finally be able to see her beautiful and loving face. And that's when it happened…<p>

…the Humming…

A bright red light had filled his vision and the girl disappeared into it. _That's new._ He thought. Normally someone would wake him up just as his eyes came into focus. There was never a red light or a strange low humming sound. There also wasn't a sudden chill to the air. And that's when it hit him…_I'm waking up aren't I?_ No sooner had he thought it did it happen. His eyes creaked open and a red light poured in. But just as quickly as it came, it went away. That's when he had a slight panic. "Red light! That's a bad omen!" He felt a stir beside him and the panic escalated until he realized it was only Vanessa. She rolled over. "Nnngh…what?" With her hair uncombed, her face half asleep, and her limbs sprawled all over the bed, she wasn't exactly the vision of beauty that he had been dreaming about earlier. Not wanting her to panic, he gently laid her back onto their bed saying, "It's nothing. Go back to sleep." which she did not object to.

Eric got up and headed towards his full length window to get a better look outside. He wanted to confirm his suspicions. He didn't see it anymore, the red light, but that didn't mean that it wasn't there earlier. He didn't want to throw everyone into a panic but he still wanted to exert caution. He quickly rummaged through the room and threw some clothes on, forgetting to be quiet for his wife. But to his surprise, when he was dressed and ready to go, Vanessa was up and apparently longing for his company. "Oh Eric," she called. "You don't have to get up so soon you know." She spoke in a sig song voice that was so beautiful; it erased any doubt in his mind not being his Vanessa maiden savior.

"I know Vanessa, but I must speak with the captain about something."

Reaching out and gently pulling him over to the bed she saying, "You're the Prince!" in that lovely voice of hers. "Surely there must be someone else who can talk to the captain." With a final tug, she had managed to bring him back down to the bed. "I know I was a grouch last night," she added. "But that was only because I wanted to spend some time with you, and everyone else kept getting in the way." Eric didn't say anything. He wasn't exactly sure if that was an apology or not. "I'll make it up to you though, let's stay in…spend some time together…maybe even…have a little…fun?" Eric smiled at her. The way she was so cute and seductive at the same time, how could he not say yes to that?

"Okay, I guess I can put off seeing the captain." He said much to her delight. "It's not like it was important anyway."

* * *

><p><strong>AN** red light: is anyone familiar with the original little mermaid story?  
><span>sailors' omen:<span> is anyone else familiar with that omen? Red sky at night, sailors' delight. Red sky in morning, sailors' warning. I thought it was "red light" instead of sky which then fit in perfectly with the storyline (the omen is foreshadow by the way) but then I found out it was "red sky" so I tried to rewrite it, but it just didn't turn out the way I wanted. Every time I picture a red sky I'm thinking that they're about to go to war or someone's gonna die or something.  
><span>Poor Unfortunate Soul:<span> hahaha! Who else is singing?

O-M-G! I am sooooo sorry this took so long to upload. Every time I did FF kept deleting it and it just made me so mad. But it's up now right? But anyway, thank you guys for being so patient and thank you guys for reading and reviewing and alerting and whatnot. It really means a lot to me

Thanks for Reading  
>And Please Review<p> 


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